The FA is using unique medical research to monitor the progress of 20,000 footballers in youth academies in a bid to prevent injuries and to identify the stars of the future.

The man responsible for masterminding the research programme is head of Medicine and Exercise Science Department, Alan Hodson.

Hodson joined The FA in 1989 and has been working in the medical department for 15 years. He had been a principal of a physiotherapy college before deciding that he wanted "a change in direction."

After taking over at The FA as head of medical education he was charged with the responsibility of providing medical training at all levels ranging from basic first aid to surgery. His department has now expanded to contain the latest medical research techniques and 14 professional medical staff.

Hodson is confident that the research will be fruitful for English football. He said: "Our department is carrying out unique medical research where we are recording the injuries that the players sustain.

For example, we have established that 50 per cent of the injuries are due to muscle problems. We can now try to prevent these injuries from occurring in the first place.

"We are also the only ones in the world who are doing measurements of the young players as they develop. We are measuring their bodies and conducting tests such as bone scans. We hope that this will highlight their potential and will lead to talent identification.

"We need to have some baseline data that shows coaches whether players are late developers and to identify at what level they should be playing. It will allow us to label players and help managers to protect them from burning out."

Hodson’s programme results in an annual report on youth players and 2,500 professionals, including members on the international squad.

These reports will be held by The FA for the inspection of all the national coaches to identify developing players.

The reports will also be sent to the individual academies but Hodson insists that there will be "no danger of sharing the confidential information with other clubs".

The department is also planning to spend £400,000 per year on a drug awareness programme that will be targeted at from players aged as young as nine, right up to the senior professionals.

"The scope of the programme shows how important that The FA take this matter," said Hodson.

"There will be specific pamphlets and posters that will indicate to players what they can and cannot do. It will tell them to steer clear of supplements or check it out with their club doctor before they take anything."

Hodson’s department is also responsible for conducting random drug tests and he announced plans to increase the amount of tests carried out by The FA.

He said: "There are going to be 1,600 random drug tests next season and they will be unannounced. That is a 25 per cent increase in last year. It is going to involve testing after games and at training grounds and these tests will occur seven days a week."

The department’s scientific research methods and drug awareness campaign has attracted the interest of both UEFA and FIFA who are monitoring the success of the programme.